Museveni in early lead as EC releases provisional results

NAMBOOLE: Incumbent and ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni has maintained the lead, according to the second round of provisional results released by Electoral Commission Chairman Eng Badru Kiggundu this morning.
With 2,323,927 votes cast from 6,448 polling stations, Mr Museveni garnered 1,362,961 votes, representing Shs61.75 per cent. This is however a drop from 63.7 per cent collected in the first round of provisional results released at mind-night.

Dr Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential contender and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party candidate however made slight gains in the Provisional Results No.2. Dr Besigye collected 738,628 votes, representing 33.47 per cent up from 32.4 percent.
Independent candidate Amama Mbabazi, the third strongest candidate according to the recent opinion polls and the provisional results so far also made slight improvement in the second round of provisional results. Mr Mbabazi garnered 41,291 votes (1.87 per cent) compare to 2,246 (1.2 per cent) in the first provisional results.

In the Provisional Results No.2, Dr Abed Bwanika, a veterinary doctor, politician and President People’s Development Party (PDP) got 22,180 votes (1.00 per cent), independent Presidential candidate, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba garnered 15,260 votes (0.69 per cent), Ms Maureen Walube Kyalya, the only female candidate in the race got 12,742 votes (058 per cent), Major General Benon Biraro, the Presidential candidate of the Farmer's Party of Uganda harvested 7,228 (0.33 per cent) and Elton Joseph Mabirizi, an Independent presidential candidate and gospel evangelist managed 6833 (0.31 per cent).
The results received from the 6,448 polling stations from across the country represent 15.2 per cent of the registered voters. There are 1,527,718 registered voters. The valid votes were 2,201, 712 and 118, 804 invalid votes. Spoilt votes were 6158 votes.

The National Tally Canter at Mandera National Stadium, Namboole received the provisional results from the districts at 7am and the third round of the provisional results is expected in two hours. Eng. Kiggundu is expected to announce the winner on Saturday.
The total number of invalid votes almost doubles the votes for Mr Mbabazi and Mr Bwanika combined. This has been blamed of lack of voter education on the part of Electoral Commission authorities. EC spokesperson, Mr Jotham Taremwa yesterday requested for time to analyse the results.

The results are from districts such as Hoima, Kyankwanzi, Pader, Kanungu, Tororo, Soroti, Mukono, Mbarara, Mbale, Masaka, Luweero, Lira, Kisoro, Kampala, Kabarole, Apac and Mitooma. In Kanungu district, Preliminary results also indicate that in Mr Mbabazi’s home ground, Museveni won with 17,017 votes, Dr Besigye managed 9, 473 votes followed by Mr Mbabazi with 1, 075 votes. Mr Museveni also won in Mbarara and lost Mbale to Dr Besigye.

Some of the districts have not transmitted any results. These include Kasese, Kabaale, Bushenyi, Arua, Rukungiri, Gulu and Wakiso among others.
Asked to clarify on the criteria used to tabulate results amid misgivings among some of the candidates’ agents, Mr Kiggundu said: “We have no control over which district sends results first or last, if Kampala had sent first, we would have declared the results.”

“Partial results are sent electronically to the National Tally Center and as soon as soon as they come they are processed and released and there is no politics,” he added